External dishwasher structure



Nov. 8, 1960 a. GIVEN ETAT. 2,958,911

EXTERNAL DIsHwAsHER STRUCTURE Filed Dec. 26, 195s s sheets-sheet 2 NOV. 8, 1960l B, GlvEN ErAL 2,958,911

EXTERNAL DISHWASHER STRUCTURE Filed Deo. 26, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 EXTERNAL nrsnwxsnnn STRUCTURE Bertram Given and Hans Jordan, Los Angeles, and Horace E. Karig, Pasadena, Calif., assignors to Waste King Corporation, Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Filed Dec. 26, 1956, Ser. No. 630,510

1 Claim. (Cl. Ztl-35) The present invention relates to the external structures of household appliances and the like, and, since the invention was initially embodied in and is particularly applicable to dishwashers, it will be considered in such connection hereinafter.

In general, the present invention contemplates a dishwasher having at least one exposed side which includes a door for access to the interior of the dishwasher when loading dishes thereinto, or when removing dishes therefrom, such exposed side of the dishwasher being the front side thereof in the construction considered herein. In a free standing dishwasher, various other sides may also be exposed when the dishwasher is placed in its operating location. Normally, the rear side of a free standing dishwasher is not exposed to view since it is usually placed adjacent a wall, and one or both lateral sides thereof may be concealed from View by placing them adjacent walls, cabinets, other appliances, or the like. However, a free standing dishwasher usually has more than one side exposed to View when in its operating location. Consequently, it is conventional to provide a free standing dishwasher with at least front, top and lateral sides having a finished appearance since two or more of such sides are usually exposed to View in use. The front, top and lateral sides of such a dishwasher are conventionally formed by porcelain enameled sheet metal panels, or the like, to provide the desired finished appearance. Ordinarily, the rear and bottom sides are left unfinished since they are normally placed adjacent a wall and a floor, respectively.

It is now common practice in home construction to build appliances into the structure of a house, the appliances normally being built into cabinets, or the like, under such circumstances. In a built-in dishwasher installation, only the access side of the dishwasher, which is the front side thereof in the dishwasher hereinafter considered, is exposed, the top, bottom, rear and lateral sides thereof being concealed from view. Since such a builtin dishwasher has only the front, access side thereof exposed to view, it is practicable and esthetically desirable to provide the front side of the dishwasher with an exposed panel or panels matching the decor of the kitchen, or other room, in which the dishwasher is installed. For this reason, it is desirable to provide the exposed side, eg., the front side, of the dishwasher with an exposed panel or panels of the same material and finish as adjacent cabinet structure, or other structure. Since the fronts of kitchen cabinets are most commonly made of wood, this requires providing the front of the dishwasher with an exposed wooden panel or panels to achieve the desired decorative effect. However, an exposed panel or panels of other materials may be utilized to match adjacent structures if such structures are fronted with such other materials.

In view of the foregoing, a primary object of the invention is to provide a dishwasher the access side of which, e.g., the 4front side of which, is faced with a metal panel or panels for free standing installations, or for built-in installations wherein matching with adjacent atent y v27.,958,91 Patented Nov. 8, 19,60

cab-inet structure is not desired, and to provide a dishwasher the access side of which is faced with a panel or panels matching adjacent structure in b-u-ilt-in installations where such matching is desired.

More particularly, the basic object of the invention is to provide a dishwasher the access side of which may be faced with interchangeable panels of metal and wood, or other materials, without in any way altering the remaining structure of the dishwasher, and particularly the structure in which the panel or panels of the access side are mounted. Thus, the dishwasher of the invention may readily be converted from a free standing model, or from a nonmatching built-in model, to a built-in model matching adjacent structure merely by substituting a panel or panels matching such adjacent structure for the normal metal panel or panels facing the access side of the dishwasher, such substitution being accomplished without any alteration of any other part of the dishwasher, which is an important feature of the invention.

Still more particularly, an object of the invention is to provide a dishwasher including an inner structure having an outwardly facing side carrying fastening members, and including alternatively usable outer panels each having an inwardly facing side carrying inwardly facing elements engageable with the respective fastening members on the inner structure so as to secure such outer pane-l to the inner structure, each outer panel diffe-ring from the others in material and/0r finish. Thus, any one of the alternatively usable outer panels may be mounted on the inner structure with no alteration of such inner structure, which is an important feature.

Another object is to provide a dishwasher door structure wherein the inner structure on which the alternatively usable outer panels are selectively mounted comprises an inner panel carrying fastening members.

A further object is to provide a dishwasher door structure wherein the inner panel has on its outwardly facing side outwardly facing seats engageable by inwardly fac- Iing elements on the inwardly facing side of each of the outer panels.

Another object is to provide a dishwasher door structure wherein the inner .panel mentioned is a sheet metal panel and wherein the outwardly facing seats mentioned are provided by outwardly projecting dimples in the inner panel.

yAnother object is to provide a dishwasher door structure wherein the fastening members are screws extending through the dimples in the inner panel and threadedly insertable into the inwardly facing elements o-n each of the alternatively usable outer panels. The foregoing structure provides a simple and compact means of securing the inner panel and the selected outer panel of the door together in spaced relation, which is an important feature.

An object in connection with one embodiment of the invention is to provide a dishwasher door structure wherein the outer panel is a metal panel and wherein the inwardly facing elements thereon are U-shaped brackets or clips.

An object in connection with ano-ther embodiment of the invention is to provide a dishwasher door structure wherein the outer panel is a wooden panel and wherein the inwardly facing elements thereon are wooden blocks into which the fastening screws are threadedly inserted.

Another object is to provide the inner panel of the door with outwardly extending, marginal flanges against which the outer panel is seated so as to close margins of the space between the inner and outer panels which would otherwise be exposed, the outer panel being seated against such outwardly extending, marginal flanges on the inner panel irrespective of whether the outer panel is a metal-- panel, a wooden panel, or a panel of some other material.-y

Another object is to provide a metal outer panel having along margins thereof shoulders seated against the outwardly extending ilanges of the inner panel and having along margins thereof inwardly extending ilanges telescoped into the outwardly extending anges on the inner panel. This construction provides the edges of the door with a finished appearance and securely locks the outer panel against lateral movement relative to the inner panel.

An important object is to provide a dishwasher door construction which includes an escutcheon overlapping one margin of the outer panel and secured to the inner panel, irrespective of whether the outer panel is a metal panel, a wooden panel, or a panel of some other material. In a construction hereinafter illustrated wherein the door is located at the front of the dishwasher, such escutcheon is located at the top of the door and overlaps the upper margin of the outer panel. This escutcheon may carry controls for the diswasher, devices for indicating the operation of the dishwasher, and the like.

Another object is to provide the escutcheon with a recess receiving therein the margin of the outer panel which the escutcheon overlaps, the edge of the recess being seated against the outwardly facing side of the outer panel. In this connection, an object of the invention is to provide metal and wooden outer panels of the same effective thickness so that either one will fit into the recess in the escutcheon. With the metal outer panel of the invention, the necessary thickness is achieved by the inwardly extending flanges hereinbefore discussed.

The foregoing objects, advantages, features, and results of the present invention, together with various other objects, advantages, features and results thereof which are expressed by the claim hereinafter presented, or which will be evident to those skilled in the art in the light of this disclosure, may be attained with the exemplary embodiments of the invention described in detail hereinafter and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational View of a dishwasher which embodies the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, front elevational view of the dishwasher of the invention;

Figs. 3 and 4 are further enlarged, fragmentary sectional views respectively taken along the arrowed lines 3 3 land 4 4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the arrowed line 5 5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a further enlarged, fragmentary sectional view taken along the arrowed line 6 6 of Fig. 2 and may be regarded asa downward continuation of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a further enlarged, fragmentary sectional view taken along the arrowed line 7 7 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken along the `arrowed line 8 8 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to a cornbination of Figs. 4 and 6, but illustrating another embodiment of the invention; and

Figs. 10, 11, l2 and 13 are fragmentary sectional views respectively taken along the arrowed lines 10-10, lil-11, 12-12, and 13 13 of Fig. 9 of the drawings.

Referring particularly to Fig. l of the drawings, the dishwasher illustrated therein includes a housing or housing structure 26 providing an inner dish chamber or tub 22 enclosed by an outer cabinet 24, there being a space 26 between the dish chamber and the cabinet which surrounds the dish chamber and through which ambient air is circulated to cool the walls of the dish chamber so as to dry dishes within the dish chamber by condensation of moisture on the dish chamber walls, as more fully disclosed in the co-pending application of Horace E. Karig, Serial No. 482,239, filed January 17, 1955, and assigned to the same assignee `as the present application. The front side of the dishwasher is provided with a doorway 28 adapted to be closed by a door 30 pivotally mounted adjacent its. lever. edge 01.1 the housing 201er movement about a hinge axis 32 between an upright, generally vertical closed position and a generally horizontal open position. As will be described in more detail hereinafter, and as illustrated in Figs. 3, 4 and 6, the door 30 includes an inner panel 34 and an outer panel 36 and overlapping escutcheon .38 located outwardly of the inner panel to provide a space 46 forming part of the space 26 around the dish chamber 22. The front side of the dishwasher below lthe door 30 is faced by a panel 42, and below this panel is a toe recess 44.

Dishes to be washed, rinsed and dried within the dish chamber 22 may be placed in racks 46 and 48 which are accessible through the doorway 23 when the door 30 is in its open position. During washing or rinsing of the dishes carried by the racks 46 and 48, water, with or without suitable additives, such as detergents, soaps, water softeners, drying agents, and the like, is sprayed upwardly over the dishes by an impeller 50 within the dish chamber 22 below the racks. In the particular construction illustrated, this impeller is of the reaction type and is supplied with water from the bottom of the dish chamber 22 by a pump 52 driven by a motor 54, the inlet of the pump being in communication with the bottom of the dish chamber and the outlet thereof being selectively connectible to the impeller Sti and a drain 56 in a manner not specifically shown. While an impeller of the reaction type has been disclosed, it will be understood that the invention is not limited thereto and that impellers of other types, such as a positively-driven impeller, may be substituted.

`Considering the door 30 in more detail, the inner panel 34 thereof, which is preferably a sheet metal panel, has a transverse wall SS, Figs. 2 and 6, mounted thereon, as by welding, within the space 40. Adjacent the sides of the door 30 the wall 58 is provided with flanges 60 to which arms 62 of hinge brackets 64 are secured at 66, as by screws, or otherwise. The arms 62 are connected to hinge brackets 63 carried by the housing structure 20 of the dishwasher by pivot pins 7l) located on and defining the hinge axis 32. Thus, the door 30 is mounted on the housing structure 20 for movement between its open and closed positions by connecting the hinge brackets 64 to the inner panel 34 of the door through the transverse wall 58, the outer panel 36 of the door being independent of the mounting of the door on the housing structure 20. The hinge brackets 64 include arcuate arms '72 which extend through slots 74 in the inner panel 34 and slots 76 in the housing structure 26 into the portions of the space 26 between the respective side walls of the dish chamber 22 and the cabinet 24. Connected to the arcuate arms 72 are counterbalance, tension springs '78 which counterbalance the weight of the door when it is in its open position, these springs being anchored to the housing structure 20 at 80.

The sheet metal inner panel 34 of the door 30 is provided at the sides of the door with outwardly, i.e., forwardly, extending marginal ilanges 82, as best shown in Fig. 3. The inner panel 34 is also provided adjacent the top of the door with an outwardly extending marginal flange 84, as best shown in Fig. 4. The inner panel 34 of the door Sil is further provided, adjacent each marginal flange 82, with vertically spaced, outwardly facing dimples 86 which provide, on the outwardly facing side of the inner panel 34, outwardly facing seats 88.

The outer panel 36, which is also formed of sheet metal in the particular embodiment under consideration, includes inwardly, i.e., rearwardly, extending marginal flanges 90 at the sides of the door 30, and includes similar marginal flanges 92 and 94 at the top and bottom, respectively of the outer panel. As best shown in Fig. 3, the flanges 90 of the outer panel 36 are provided with shoulders 96 which face inwardly and which are seated against the outer edges of the anges 82 of the inner panel 34, the innermost portions of the flanges 90 extending into the space between the flanges 82 in telescopic-- relation with said flanges. This construction serves to space the outer panel 36 outwardly from the inner panel 34 to provide the space 40, and serves to key -the outer panel to the inner panel against relative lateral movement, all in a simple, compact manner. As shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the bottom flange 94 of the outer panel 36 includes one or more tongues 98 extending into slots 100 in an extension 102 of the transverse wall 58 within the door 30, only one or" the tongues 98 and slots 100 being visible in the drawings. This construction further serves to space the outer panel 36 from and key it to the inner panel 34.

Welded to, or otherwise secured to, the inwardly facing side of the outer panel 36 are U-shaped brackets or clips 104 which extend inwardly and which are seated at their inner ends on the seats 88 provided by the dimples 86 in the inner panel 34. Sheet metal screws 106 extend through the seats 88 and are threadedly inserted into the clips 104 to secure the outer panel 36 to the inner panel 34. Thus, the dimples 86 and clips 104 co-operate to space the outer panel 36 from the inner panel 34 and the screws 106 serve to attach the outer panel to the inner panel, there being four such dimples, clips and screws in the particular construction illustrated, although this number may be varied. It will be apparent that the construction described provides a very simple means of attaching the outer panel 36 to the inner panel 34, and one which permits ready removal of the outer panel.

The escutcheon 38, which may be associated with various controls, indicators, and the like, as more fully disclosed in the co-pending application of Bertram Given and Walter Peglow, Serial No. 625,398, iled November 30, 1956, and assigned to the same assignee as the present application, is also secured to the inner panel 34 of the door 30 and overlaps the upper edge or margin of the outer panel 36, as shown in Fig. 4. The esc utcheon 38-is provided at the sides of the door 30 with marginal flanges 108 arranged in abutting relation to the marginal flanges 82 of the inner panel 34 to close the corresponding lportions of the space 40 within the door. Intermediate the flanges 108, the escutcheon 38 is provided with a recess 110 which receives the upper margin of the outer panel 36 therein and which is provided with an inwardly facing edge seated against the outwardly faclng side of the outer panel. This arrangement conceals the joint between the escutcheon and the outer panel.

Continuing to refer to Fig. 4 of the drawings, the inner panel 34 is provided at the top thereof with brackets 112, only one of which is visible, to which the upper edge of the escutcheon 38 is attached by screws 114, a handle 116 extending across the top of the door 30 also being attached to the brackets 112 by screws 118. The inner panel 34 of the door is provided with tabs 120 adjacent the lower edge of the escutcheon 38 and adjacent the anges 108 of the escutcheon. The escutcheon 38 is attached to the tabs 120 by screws 122, as best shown in Fig. 5. Thus, the escutcheon 38 is secured to the inner panel 34 of the door 30 adjacent the top thereof and in overlapping relation with the upper margin of the outerpanel 36.

Considering the panel 42 below the door 30, this panel is of sheet metal in the embodiment under consideration and includes inwardly extending flanges 124, Fig. 1, at the sides of the dishwasher. The panel 42 is provided with an inwardly extending flange 126 along its upper margin, this flange being located just below the lower edge of the door when the door is closed. The panel 42 is also provided along its lower margin with an inwardly extending flange 128.

The panel 42 is secured to the housing structure 20 by means of tabs 130 carried by the upper flange 126, these tabs being hook-like and being provided with elastomeric jackets 132. The jacketed tabs 130 are inserted in notches or sockets 134 in fastening members 136 carried by the housing structure 20 and facing outwardly. The lower ange 128 extends under brackets 138, only one of which is visible in Fig. 6 of the drawings, and is secured thereto by sheet metal Screws 140 extending through notches 141 in such flange. Thus, the panel 42 at the front of the dishwasher below the door 30 may be secured to the housing structure 20 of the dishwasher simply by hooking the tabs 130 into the fastening members 136, and by subsequently threading the screws 140 into the brackets 138 after the lower flange 128 has been moved inwardly to insert these screws into the notches 141.

The foregoing embodiment of the invention is intended for use as a free standing-model, or as a built-in model where matching the front thereof with the surrounding cabinets, or other structure, is not desired. In such embodiment, the outer panel 36 of the door 30 and the panel 42 below the door are preferably formed of sheet metal finished in any suitable manner, as by being surfaced with porcelain enamel, or some other material.

Referring now to Figs. 9 to 13 of the drawings, the embodiment illustrated therein is identical to the one described previously, except that the outer panel 36 of the door is replaced by an outer panel 142 and the panel 42- below the door-is replaced by a panel 144. The material selected for the panels 142 and 144 matches the material of surrounding cabinet structure, or the like,l

in a built-in installation of the dishwasher of the invention, and may be finished to match the surrounding structure. Since cabinets, or like structures, into which dishwashers are ordinarily built are most commonly made of wood, the panels 142 and 144 will be regarded as wooden panels hereinafter, it being understood, however, that other materials may be utilized in connection with surrounding structure of materials other than wood.

The outer panel 142 of the door 30 in this embodiment is provided on its inwardly facing side with two Wooden blocks 146 adjacent the sides of the door. Each block 146 spans the vertical space between and is seated on the two seats 88 on the inner panel 34 on the corresponding side of the door. Fastening members in the form of wood screws 148, substituted for the sheet metal screws 106, extend through the seats 77 and are threadedly inserted into the blocks 146 to secure the wooden outer panel 142 to the sheet metal inner panel 34. While the blocks 146 engage the seats 88 to position the wooden outer panel 142 forwardly of the inner panel 34 to provide the desired space 40 within the door, the margins of the wooden outer panel at the sides of the door 30 also seat on the anges 82 of the inner panel 34 at the sides of the door to space the outer panel forwardly of the inner panel and to close the space 40 between the panels at the sides of the door.

The inwardly facing side of the wooden outer panel 142 is provided with recesses 150, one of which is shown in Fig. 9 of the drawings, to receive the arms 62 of the hinge brackets 64 and to receive the hinge brackets 68 and pivot pins 70.

The Wooden outer panel 142 is provided adjacent the top thereof with a shoulder 152 on which the escutcheon 38 adjacent the periphery of the recess 110 therein is seated. The thickness of the outer panel 142 is the same as the over-all thickness of the anged sheet metal outer panel 36 so that the escutcheon 38 lits the outer panel 142 in the same manner as the outer panel 36.

Thus, it will be apparent that the wooden outer panel 142 may be substituted for the metal outer panel 36 without any changes in the remainder of the structure of the door. In other words, the wooden outer panel 142 cooperates with the inner panel 34 and the escutcheon 38 in substantially the same manner as the metal outer panel 36, and is attached in the same manner as the metal outer panel, so that the substitution may be made without altering the remainder or the structure of the door 30 in any way, which is an important feature.

Considering the wooden panel 144 below the door 3 0, attached thereto adjacent the upper edge Athereof by screws 154 are clips 156 having hook-like tabs 158 corresponding to the tabs 130 and provided with elastomeric jackets 160. The jacketed tabs 158 are inserted into the sockets 134 in the fastening members 136 in the Same manner as the jacketed tabs 130 of the sheet metal panel 42. Attached to the wooden panel 144 adjacent the botton thereof are angle clips 162 which extend under the brackets 138 and which are secured by means of the hereinbefore-described screws 140, these screws extending through notches 164 in the clips 162 and clamping these clips against the brackets 138. Thus, it will be apparent that the wooden panel 144 is secured to the housing structure of the dishwasher in exactly the same way as the metal panel 42 thereof.

As will be apparent from the foregoing, if it is desired to build the dishwasher of the invention into a wooden cabinet structure, for example, matching wooden panels 142 and 144 may be substituted readily for the metal panels 36 and 42. The wooden panel 142 is secured to the inner panel 34 of the door 30 in the same way as the metal panel Se, and co-operates therewith in substantially the same way. The wooden panel 144ti's secured to the housing structure 20 of the dishwasher in the same way as and co-operates therewith in the same way as the metal panel It will be noted that the blocks 146 are secured to the inwardly facing side of the outer panel 142 of the door 30 and that the clips 156 and 162 are secured to the inwardly facing side of the panel 144 so that the means of attachment of these panels to the inner panel 54 of the door and the housing structure 20, respectively, are not visible from the front of the dishwasher. rhus, the outwardly facing sides of the wooden panels 142 and 144. are unmarred by any fastening means therefor and may be finished to match perfectly the cabinet structure, or the like, into which the dishwasher is built.

Thus, the dishwasher of the invention may be convetted from a free standing model, or from a nonmatching built-in model, to a built-in model matching the surrounding wooden structure merely by substituting the wooden panels 142 and 144 for the metal panels 36 and 42, no other change in the structure of the dishwasher being necessary to effect this substitution. Similarly, panels like the panels 142 and 144, but made of some other material, may be substituted for the panels 8 36 and 42 to match cabinet structure of such other material.

lt will be noted that the inwardly facing sides of the escutcheon 38, the outer door panel 36 and the panel 42 below the door are provided with sound deadening liners 166, 168 and 170, respectively, to minimize external noise resulting from the spraying of Water throughout the dish chamber 22 by the impeller 50. In view of the substantial thickness of the wooden door panel 142 and the wonden panel 144- below the door 30, sound deadening liners on such panels are not essential.

Although exemplary embodiments of the invention have been disclosed herein for purposes of illustration it will be understood that various changes, modifications and substitutions may be incorporated in such embodiments without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the claim which follows.

We claim:

In a door structure, the combination of: an inner panel having inwardly facing and outwardly facing sides and provided on its outwardly facing side with a plurality of outwardly projecting, outwardly facing seats inwardly of the edges thereof; an outer panel having inwardly facing and outwardly facing sides and provided on its inwardly facing side with inwardly projecting, inwardly facing elements corresponding in number to and respectively engaging said seats, whereby to space said outer panel outwardly from said inner panel, said outer panel being smaller than said inner panel and being provided with a margin within the perimeter of said inner panel; fastening members extending outwardly through said seats and engaging said elements on said outer panel to secure said outer panel to said inner panel, said fastening members being screws threaded into said elements on said outer panel and terminating inwardly of said outwardly facing side of said outer panel; an escutcheon overlapping said margin of and seated against said outer side of said outer panel; and means securing said escutcheon to said inner panel.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,293,399 Moecker et al. Aug. 18, 1942 2,707,808 Anderson May l0, 1955 2,708,294 Saunders May 17, 1955 2,720,683 Schwenker et al. Oct. 18, 1955 2,780,845 Chapman et al. Feb. 12, 1957 

